Living & Dining Room Pendants

Pendant Light Sizing Tips for Dining Rooms

Choosing the right size pendant is critical in the dining room. Too small and it will not sufficiently light the room. Too large and it will overpower your decor and, in the case of a fixture that extends beyond the edge of the table, could even be a hazard.

To help you shop, here are some general pendant lighting sizing tips for the dining room:

• Add the length and the width of the room (in feet). The sum should be the width of your pendant (in inches). For instance, if your room is 10' x 12', your pendant should measure approximately 22" wide (or 10+22).
• Make sure your pendant is never wider than the width of the dining table minus 12 inches.
• Is your dining table oblong or rectangular? Try using two pendants to better light the entirety of the table. In this case, each individual pendant should be a little smaller than the math above would dictate.

Once you've chosen your pendant, you'll want to make sure it hangs at the correct height above the table. As a general rule, there should be roughly 30 and 34 inches between the top of the table and bottom of the fixture. As with all decorating tips, anything goes as long as it looks good. You may also want to try an over-sized pendant for a dramatic effect, or a cluster of mini-pendants for an artful look. To find the right look for your dining room, you can refine your search using the style, color, size filters and more at the top of this page.